A Rainbow of Love
by whateverf0rever
Summary: A collection of one-shots surrounding everyone's favorite sweetheart and her neighbor.
1. Dinner Date

**I decided to start a collection of one-shots about Sean & Sue because there are so many good potential stories/scenarios/general cuteness surrounding them so if anyone has any suggestions or ideas on what they would want to read about, put it in the comments and maybe you'll get lucky!**

* * *

Sue stands outside of her apartment feeling the most down she's felt in a while.

It's been a tough year for her: nearly getting kicked out of school, going through multiple boyfriends, and working all summer to make barely any money. All of those situations sucked but nothing sucked as much as tonight; tonight she went to dinner with her longtime neighbor Sean Donahue, a man she's liked since she was 13.

Sean had recently begun taking her out to dinner ever since he started medical school at St. Matthews, the campus right next to East Indiana State where she was currently a junior. At first she thought he was just being the nice guy he'd always been but lately she had been getting the feeling that he saw her as more than just his best friend's little sister. In her blind hopefulness she read his signals incorrectly which had led to her current situation and sadness.

Sue sighs, opening the door to her apartment hesitantly. Brad is in the kitchen baking muffins while Axl and Lexie are draped over each other on the couch. Sue feels a pang in her chest seeing a happy couple and knows she's in for a long weekend.

"Hey guys," Sue greets weakly. She gives them a toothless smile.

"Are you okay?" Lexie asks immediately, her wide eyes filled with concern.

"Yeah-"

"Sue." Sue locks eyes with her brother and drops her fake smile.

"It's stupid," Sue tries to explain as she shakes off her pink coat. "I'm stupid. Sean Donahue has been taking me to dinner a few times a week for three weeks now and I don't know I thought he maybe-" she stops abruptly and breaks her gaze with Axl, tugging at an end of her hair. "It was stupid of me."

"How do you know that for sure?" Lexie asks gently. "Maybe he does-"

"I asked him," Sue cuts off her best friend, hanging up her coat. "He said he's been taking me out because he's been having fun getting to know me again so I asked 'as a friend?' and he said 'of course as a friend'."

"That's not that bad," Brad shoots her a smile.

"It wasn't," Sue agrees, swallowing thickly, "until I came back from the bathroom to hear Sean tell our waitress who had been flirting with him all night that I wasn't his date and his best friend's kid sister."

Brad and Lexie wince sympathetically and she looks towards Axl at the clearing of his throat. For the first time since she left for junior prom without a date, her older brother is looking at her with sadness and pity laced in his eyes.

"Maybe," Axl starts uneasily, his discomfort obvious, "the next time Sean asks you to get dinner you should say no."

Sue wants to tell Axl to stay out of her business but she can't, not when he is trying to help her for once instead of making things worse. She realizes she must look as pathetic as she feels because Axl only pulls through for her in desperate times. Her eyes water instantly.

"Maybe," she whispers shakily, not meeting any of her friends' eyes as she goes into her room.

Axl barges into her room a minute later with a tub of ice cream and two spoons and proceeds to sit with her while she cries for the rest of the night.

* * *

The next morning Sue wakes to the sound of the doorbell and sits up slowly to realize she slept in her dress from last night. She slowly stands up, checking her reflection in the mirror and winces at the redness of her eyes and the tangled state of her short hair.

"Go away Sean!" Sue perks at Axl's angry tone and owns her door a crack to listen in on their conversation.

"What's your problem Ax-Man? I want to talk to Sue."

"Yeah well you're being denied."

"That's not your decision."

"It is when you hurt my sister." Sue closes her eyes. _Thanks for selling me out Axl._

" _I_ hurt your sister? What are you talking about? She seemed down when I dropped her off last night so I brought her breakfast-"

"Stop taking her to dinner and stop doing nice shit like bringing her breakfast!" Axl raises his voice and Sue turns her head to her right at the creaking sound of a door opening and is met with Lexie's concerned eyes. "You're leading her on, you have to stop!"

"I'm not leading her on!" Sean's voice also rises.

"You told her last night all these dinners you go on aren't dates how is that not leading her on?"

"I only said that because of her boyfriend! You of all people know I want them to be dates." _He does?_ Sue and Lexie exchange surprised glances.

"She doesn't have a boyfriend-"

"You told me she did."

"No I didn't, we never talk about Sue."

"You told me she was seeing someone when I came here to tell her I had feelings for her." What? Sean _likes_ her? Sue feels like she can't breathe, her excitement fleeting as a horrific thought crosses her mind: Axl uncharacteristically sat with her all last night but this was his doing? He went too far this time. Sue flung open her door to go fight with her brother but was stopped by Axl's voice.

"Wait, I thought you came here because you had feelings for Lexie." _What?_

"No," Sean says sternly, "I came here for Sue. Why would you think I was here for Lexie? I told you after the date it didn't work out although I didn't tell you it was because I was thinking about Sue."

Sue freezes, unsure if she is hearing Axl and Sean correctly. Sean has feelings for her and tried to tell her but Axl misunderstood him? She should go talk to Sean she definitely should-

"So all this time you thought I was cool with it?" Sue scoffs softly; of course Axl is more concerned with how this affects him.

"Well yeah-"

"Well maybe I'm not."

"You just yelled at me because you thought I was leading her on which means you already thought I was taking her on dates."

"That isn't," Axl pauses. "You can't just start dating my sister and not tell me!"

"I'm not dating her but I thought I told you how I felt when I came here that night."

"You haven't mentioned it since! So wait you've been putting the moves on Sue thinking she has a boyfriend?" Sean doesn't reply and Axl snickers. "I'm actually impressed. Disgusted because it's Sue, but impressed."

"Okay well I'm going to go talk to Sue-"

"We aren't done here!" Sue rolls her eyes at her brother. "I didn't say you can date my sister or that I'm okay with it-"

"Axl I've been your best friend for 20 years, have I ever done anything to make you think I'm not good enough for your sister?"

"Well..."

"I'm sorry if it bothers you Axl but I'm not changing my mind about this. I tried to ignore it for a while now but I can't do it anymore and I know you're worried about me being like Darrin but no matter what I'll always be your best friend." Axl is silent and Sean continues. "I promise if you want I'll sit with you for as long as you want after I talk to Sue if it will make you feel better. I don't even know if she likes me-"

Sean is cut off by a loud snort by Axl. "There's a zero percent chance she isn't totally in love with you."

"Really?" Sue smiles at the hopeful tone Sean uses. "Good but I still wish I didn't throw out the snowglobe."

"Snowglobe?" Sue cries out. She winces but doesn't care that she gave herself away. She steps into the hall and makes her way towards a wide-eyed Sean and a confused Axl.

"Sue," Sean laughs nervously. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Not too much," Sue lies, continuing to walk towards him. "What snowglobe?"

"I uh, I bought you a snowglobe after I was here last year and you asked me about feeling special and I told you about the study-"

"About the twins," Sue interjects, taking another step closer.

"Yes and I told you that even without the study-"

"I'm a special snowflake," Sue finishes. "So you bought me a snowglobe."

"Well yeah," Sean rubs the back of his neck nervously as Sue stops in front of him. "I wanted to show you how much you mean to me but I threw it out because I was mad."

"Because Axl told you I was seeing someone," Sue says quickly, her words running together, "but I'm not. I'm single, super single haven't been on a date in months. Definitely single."

"So you heard everything?" Sean's lips upturn slightly.

"Maybe," Sue bites her lip, "but perhaps you can tell me about those feelings you have?"

Sean smiles widely before clearing his throat and schooling his expression. "I really like you Sue and have for a while. You're the sweetest, kindest and most beautiful woman I know and I would be honored if you let me take you out tonight on a real date."

"Yes!" Sue blurts loudly.

"I'm sorry I don't have the snowglobe," Sean tucks her wild hair behind her ear with a smile. "It took me weeks to find the right one; I know your favorite Christmas song is Winter Wonderland."

"It is," Sue leans into his hand before he can pull away. Sean steps closer and their chests are touching. "I have it. I hit it with my trash and it started playing Winter Wonderland so I rescued it."

"See Sue? I told you we rescue each other," Sean grins, leaning forward and capturing Sue's lips with his own. Sean kisses her gently as he pulls her close with the hand that isn't cradling her face and Sue can feel it in her toes. She places her arms around his neck and doesn't think she's ever been so happy-

"Hey if you're going to make out with my sister maybe you could not do it in front of me?" Sue and Sean turn to get a stern look from Axl.

"Go home," Sue gives him a dirty look and leans back into Sean, who laughs.

"For now I won't Ax-Man. Why don't you eat breakfast then we'll go make out in your room," Sean suggests to Sue with a smirk.

"What the hell Donahue," Axl narrows his eyes. "Making out with my sister in front of me, telling me you're going to be alone with her in her room, not telling your best friend you like his sister that's cruel-"

"I brought you breakfast too," Sean cuts him off, gesturing to the counter.

"You bought me breakfast to bride me didn't you?" Axl looks at Sean in suspicion. "You think a sausage egg and cheese will make it okay for you to date my sister?"

"Yes," Sean says simply, kissing Sue quickly before untangling from her and opening the bag settled on the counter. Sean hands Axl a foil wrapped sandwich. "And maybe once you see how much I care about Sue you'll be okay with it."

Axl bites his lip, obviously to hide his smile, and shrugs at his longtime best friend. "I don't need the long sit down; I trust you and can already tell how much you do so it's fine."

"Aw Axl-"

"Just make sure when you buy a house with Sue you include a room for me to move into when Lexie divorces me," Axl jokes, turning and leaving the pair in the kitchen.

Sue unwraps her own sandwich and smiles when Sean wraps his arms around her waist and rests his head on his shoulder.

"Were you crying because of me Suzy Q?" He asks softly.

"I don't want to be your friend or your best friend's kid sister," Sue wrinkles her nose.

"I only said that so the waitress would give me her number and leave me alone." Sue tenses. "I threw out the number, I only want you."

"Really?"

"Of course," Sean chuckles in her ear, tightening his grip on her waist. "I'm so sorry you were upset, I thought you had a boyfriend and I was trying to be respectful."

"It's okay Sean really-"

"It's not," Sean cuts her off and she can feel his smile against her neck as he places a soft kiss there, "but I'll make it up to you."

Sue smiles; turning in his arms and stands on her toes to kiss him-

"You guys are gross!"

"Shut _up_ Axl!"


	2. Meet the Hecks

**for merdarkandtwisty's suggestion of Frankie and Mike finding out about Sean and Sue are dating**

* * *

"Can I leave?" Brick turned to his mother to get a hard look in return. "What, I hate meeting Sue's boyfriends."

Today was a day Brick had been dreading for a few weeks: Sue had a new boyfriend and was bringing him home to meet her parents.

Sue always dated the wrong guys for her and Axl, in all of his selfishness, only ever got mad about the guys she dated when it affected him (read: Darrin) so the hostile brother had to be Brick. Sue's terrible boyfriends made it easy for him to be a jerk but he hated that he had to do it in the first place.

Brick wasn't afraid to admit it: everyone underappreciated Sue. She was underappreciated by their parents, Axl, teachers, her friends, neighbors, and even by him. Sue never lost hope in the goodness of others and it bothered him that she couldn't at the very minimum find a boyfriend who treated her how she should be treated.

If that guy even existed.

As it was, Brick sat on the couch with his dad watching his mother flit around the dining room nervously. The doorbell rang and Brick opened the door to Sean Donahue.

"Hey Brickster," Sean grinned at him. Brick couldn't help smiling back; Sean was his favorite of all of Axl's and Sue's friends.

"Hey Sean!"

"Sean?" Frankie smiled at their neighbor from the table. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey Mrs. Heck! Sue invited me for dinner," Sean said slowly, a nervous look crossing his face. "Didn't she tell you?"

"She didn't but that's okay, you're always welcome here," Frankie started to set another place at the table. "Have you met Sue's boyfriend? We're meeting him for the first time tonight."

"Sorry we're late," Axl slammed the door behind him, throwing his coat at the coat rack. He turned towards the dining room and rolled his eyes at the sight of Sean. "Of course you're early."

"Where's Sue?" Frankie placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at her eldest son. "Did you lock her in the car again?"

"No, she's just being slow per usual," Axl made a face, taking a seat at the table.

"So you drove up here with her boyfriend?" Brick jumped in quickly. "How awful is he?"

"Sue didn't tell you who her boyfriend is," A slow smile crept onto Axl's face. "This is going to be great."

"Yeah for you," Brick gave his brother a dirty look. "I do all the heavy work being rude to Sue's boyfriends you just sit there and try to be their friend."

"I don't think you're going to hate this one."

"Axl!" Sue yelled from the doorway as she threw off her coat. "Mom Axl locked me in the car again!"

"Mike."

"Axl."

"What?" Axl grinned. "I was saving my best friend from the humiliation of having to tell anyone that he's dating _Sue_."

"Axl," Sean warned.

"Wait…" Brick trailed off, wide-eyed.

"Did he just say…" Frankie also trailed off, her and Brick exchanging looks.

"Of course you're early," Sue mimicked Axl's earlier statement, giving Sean a broad smile. "Dad, where are you?"

"Oh my _God_ ," Frankie breathed causing the nervous look to come back onto Sean's face.

"What?" Sue asked in confusion.

"Sean is your boyfriend?" Frankie asked incredulously.

"Wait, I didn't tell you- _Axl_!"

"I'm not sorry."

Mike walked into the room unsmiling as he looked around. "Can we get this over with?"

"Dad you promised you'd be nice," Sue scolded through gritted teeth, continuing to glare at Axl.

"Sue!" Frankie finally cried in excitement, hugging Sue tightly, her surprise evident. "This is so exciting! I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks Mom!"

"Hey Sean," Mike granted Sean with a half smile, ignoring his wife, "Frankie didn't tell me you were coming for dinner too. Good, more people to help scare away Sue's boyfriend. When's he getting here?"

"Apparently he's already here," Brick raised an eyebrow, grinning.

"The only people in this room are our family and Sean-"

"No Mike," Frankie nodded her head towards Sean furiously, "this is it."

"Sean?" Mike furrowed his brows, looking between the two slowly. "Sean Donahue is your boyfriend?"

"Yeah," Sue replied nervously. She bit her lip and looked at Sean who gave her a wide smile.

"Okay," Mike shrugged. He turned to grab something from the kitchen and Brick swore he saw a ghost of a smile on his dad's lips.

"Sean, get in here!" Frankie held out her arms for a hug and Sean gave her a short hug, Sue beaming. Brick didn't remember the last time his sister smiled like that.

"You're right," Brick leant towards Axl, "I do like this one."

Sue hugged him from behind to whisper in his ear. "Me too."

"How did this happen I need all the details!" Frankie exclaimed before pausing. "Actually, I need to know why I placed an order at Dom's Oriental for dinner when we could've had dinner with the Donahues made by Nancy."

"You let Brick pick dinner on my night to meet my boyfriend?" Sue released Brick to give him a dirty look.

"I hate Ribs America," Brick rolled his eyes. Mike came back into the living room and handed Axl a beer.

"They both suck," Axl cut in, pointing his beer at Frankie. "I'm with Mom, we should've gotten a Nancy Donahue dinner out of this."

"Mr. and Mrs. Heck thank you so much for having me over for dinner," Sean started with an easy smile. "I know you guys already know me but I really like your daughter and wanted to get to know you as my girlfriend's parents."

Frankie smiled at him and Mike smiled then immediately wiped it from his face in an attempt to remain impassive.

"But since you guys do already know me and are best friends with my parents," Sean paused to wink at Sue. "I told my parents before this and my mom is expecting us all for dinner at my house in ten minutes."

"Really?" Sue asked with wide-eyes, biting her lip to hide how much she loved his idea. Sean grinned at her and put his arm around her to pull her close to his side.

"Yeah I figured it was better for us all to do this together," Sean shrugged. "My mom will cook a great meal where we can tell everyone how we got together and after the guys can go off and watch the Hoosier game and the ladies can all gossip about whatever."

Axl high-fived Frankie, Mike exclaimed he was going to bring a six-pack and left the kitchen.

"You thought of everything," Brick deadpanned. He actually really liked Sean and was let down that Sean left him out.

"I forgot to mention that Dottie just finished the Planet Nowhere series and is obsessed with it didn't I?"

"I knew you were my favorite for a reason," Brick grinned. "Let's go now!"

Sean helped Sue into her jacket before donning his while Axl grabbed his and threw it on as he walked quickly across the yard to the Donahues. Brick watched Sean walk across the lawn slowly with his sister, holding her hand and couldn't help smiling at the sight.

"Mike?" Frankie asked Mike causing Brick to pause in the doorway. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah," Mike hesitantly responded making Frankie sigh under her breath.

"You can't really be upset, Sean Donahue is the best case scenario as a boyfriend for Sue-"

"I'm not upset! Sean is actually pretty great, he's polite, has ambition and will definitely treat Sue well," Mike said with annoyance. "And he calls me Mr. Heck."

"Then what's the problem?"

"There's no problem-"

"Mike."

"Okay, it's just, Sean Donahue isn't, he," Mike audibly sighed, running his hand through his hair. "He's going to be it for Sue Frankie. I'm happy for her it's just, she's grown up so fast, all of them have."

"I know but all the kids still have so many important milestones left in their lives. They still need us and still will even when they leave us for good. This is going to be a great night," Frankie smiled at him reassuringly. "Nancy is probably so excited she most likely made her apple pie, which you love, and let's be honest here Mike you love Sean don't think I didn't see you smile when you realized Sean was her boyfriend."

"He's not terrible," Mike said nonchalantly and Brick snorted from the doorway, both of his parents turning to him.

"Yeah I heard everything," Brick didn't waste his time lying; he was terrible at it anyway. He held out his coat to his father. "You know, if you want to make this night even better I'm pretty sure Sean is still a little afraid of you… maybe you can mess with him and make him think he isn't as liked by you as everyone thinks?"

A slow smile crossed Mike's face as he shrugged on his coat as an alarmed look crossed Frankie's. "Mike don't you dare-"

"I like the way you think Brick."

"Can't this family ever be normal?"

"Nope."


	3. Lexie's Plan

**This is a oneshot about surrounding Ovary & Out and potentially what we didn't see in the episode and has some background Axl & Lexie because they are also super cute.**

* * *

Lexie stood in her room leaning against her closed bedroom door with a wide smile on her face; the illusive Sean Donahue, whom she heard a lot about from Sue and Axl, had asked her (and Sue) to join them to eat dinner and she was excited.

Excited to make Axl jealous that is.

Lexie had figured out that she had a gigantic crush on Axl a while ago and she still wasn't sure how to act around him. If there were one thing Lexie knew would put her on Axl's radar it would be going out with his cute best friend.

Axl had yet to figure out Sean had invited her out due to him being in the shower but she was going to make sure he knew it as soon as possible.

She didn't know Sean enough to be nervous at the thought of flirting with him so she decided she would flirt with him at every opportunity and really bring her A game to make Axl see how great she was, or at least, how great she _hoped_ she was.

She also hoped she didn't flirt like Sue and didn't know it.

* * *

The first hour Sean was there she went into the kitchen for chips and a drink a full 23 minutes after meeting him.

She peeked at the edge of the hallway to see Sean and Sue still putting together the white desk Sue bought, Axl nowhere to be found. She was annoyed Axl wouldn't see her flirting with his friend but she figured laying the groundwork for later couldn't hurt.

She held her chin high as she ventured into the kitchen, making sure to slam the cabinet to alert Sean and Sue to her presence.

They didn't pause their conversation once.

"The Chancellor's Ball?" Sean chuckled. "That sounds fancy."

"It really is its black tie only although," Sue paused, disappointment creeping into her voice, "I'm not sure I'm going to go."

"What? Why not?"

"I don't have a date and you can get in without one but I'm not sure I want to be the only one without one."

"I bet you'll get a date," Sean said reassuringly.

"I doubt that, you've never seen me flirt it's bad," Sue groaned. "Horribly bad."

"I'm sure you aren't that bad-"

"Hey Lexie," Sue called out to her and Lexie grinned before instantly dropping it and turning towards the pair with a blank face.

"Yes?"

"How am I at flirting?"

"You aren't that bad," Lexie lied, not wanting to look mean in front of Sean.

"Lexie brought me to some parties with her and two guys asked her if I was 'special'," Sue clarified making Sean grin.

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad-"

"The guy throwing one of the parties asked Lexie to never bring me again."

Sean laughed at the statement and Lexie was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't cruel like Axl's would've been. "I get it, you're a terrible flirt. I can try to help you if you want."

"Okay!" Sean started to tell Sue things he noticed girls doing when they talked to him and his friends, Lexie immediately forgotten. She stood in the kitchen for a full two minutes silently.

"I'll just go to my room now." Lexie announced, neither Sean nor Sue looking her way.

Lexie sighed and on her trek back to her room wondered if maybe she was the one who needed help flirting.

* * *

An hour and seven minutes later Lexie deemed that enough time had passed it wouldn't be obvious for her to leave her room again to put the chips away.

And that enough time had passed for Axl to be back in the living room with Sean and Sue.

Lexie opened her door and grinned, glad to hear the sounds of the TV. She once again stopped at the edge of the hallway, seeing both Sean and Sue seated on the couch, the now completed desk next to their kitchen table. She tried to walk loudly, hoping they would turn around and greet her.

They didn't.

"The desk looks great Sue," Lexie called out loudly, moving to her plan B aka be obvious and loud.

"Thanks," Sue turned her head but didn't tear her eyes from the TV. Lexie looked around and was irritated to see that Axl was still missing.

"Where's Axl?" Lexie couldn't help herself.

"Napping," Sean and Sue responded together, both still glued to the TV. Lexie's eyes traveled to the TV as well to see a football game in full swing.

"It's still football season?" Lexie didn't know anything about sports but she knew Axl's last season as an East Indiana Dragon ended so professional football should've ended too.

"No this is a game from last year," Sue gave her a smile.

"Alright Suzy Q," Sean shifted on the couch moving closer to Sue, placing his arm on the back of cushions, "4th and 1, Boston College is down two touchdowns and they're going for it. What's the play?"

"Quarterback sneak," Sue answered easily. "Their quarterback has great mobility." They both went silent to watch the play.

"You were right, I can't believe it! How are you doing this? Have you seen this game before?" Sean grinned at Sue, looking impressed.

"No I only get roped into watched East Indy and Colt games now that I'm not living at home during football season," Sue laughed. "It shouldn't be that surprising, I've been to every game Axl has ever played in and when you both made varsity as freshman you guys both made me quiz you to learn the plays."

"That's right, I forgot about that," Sean nodded in acknowledgement. Lexie sighed; Sean and Sue were definitely back to ignoring her. "You're so good at calling plays, your dad must love this."

"I never do this when I watch the games at home with Dad and Axl." Lexie looked over from the counter in surprise; Sue always did things to get her father's attention. Sean was also looking at Sue with surprise and Sue shrugged. "Watching the games is Dad and Axl's thing, I don't want to take that away from them so I pretend I'm not paying attention."

"Axl doesn't deserve you," Sean said sincerely, Lexie silently agreeing. "You're always so nice to him and he's such a jerk to you, I honestly don't know how you do that either."

"It's okay, I know he isn't good with expressing his emotions," Sue shrugged again, smiling at Sean, "but I also know that he loves me. Why else would he spend all of his time here?"

"Maybe he has a crush on Lexie," Sean joked causing Lexie's blood to run cold.

"He's still dating his ex-wife."

"Axl got _married_?"

Lexie rolled her eyes; this attempt was a bigger bust than the first.

* * *

48 minutes later, Lexie heard Axl's loud laughter and grinned, deciding it was time for a drink.

She walked all the way to the kitchen table and was about to speak when Axl cried out in excitement.

"Oh my _God_ Sue this is the coolest thing you've ever done! There's no way you can do it again!"

"She can and she will! She's been doing it the whole game!"

"It's not a big deal."

"Of course it is! Thanks for telling me _Sean_."

"Axl-"

"Wait they're lining up, what's the play?"

Lexie turned around, deciding that even though she wanted Axl to be jealous it wasn't worth ruining the rare praise her best friend was receiving from her brother.

* * *

Lexie paced in her room stewing until an hour and 42 minutes had passed. She breathed in a deep breath and exhaled sharply, holding eye contact with herself in the mirror; telling herself she was not going to fail this time in making Axl jealous and was going to successfully flirt with Sean. She nodded at herself in the mirror and left her room quickly, walking into the kitchen with her empty glass.

She held in her sigh at the sight of Sean and Sue seated together closely on the couch, Sean's arm still resting on the top behind Sue's shoulders. Lexie tried not to slam the dishwasher closed but she knew she failed when she heard Axl.

"You don't have to take out your frustration on not seeing me all day on the dishwasher." Lexie turned to find herself inches away from Axl. "The man of your dreams is right here."

"Gross," Lexie pushed him out of her way.

"Did you happen to get the conditioner Sue put on your shopping list?"

"Sue told me that it was for you and not to get it," Lexie deadpanned.

"Lexie I'm only helping you, I know you have a huge crush on me," Axl grinned, the two of them (again) ignored by the other occupants of the room as Sean laughed at a comment Sue made. "Wouldn't I look better with the right conditioner?"

"I do not have a huge crush on you," Lexie gave him a dirty look. Sue didn't tell him, did she?

"Either way, don't cross the conditioner off your list, I re-added it," Axl persuaded with a smirk. Lexie nearly breathed out a sigh of relief that Sue hadn't said anything to him.

"I'm not getting you anything from the store Axl," Lexie narrowed her eyes, squaring her shoulders. It was time to finally put her plan into motion. "Leave me alone, you're such a jerk!"

"Stop torturing Lexie," Sue gave her brother a dirty look, Sean looking over his shoulder at the two of them.

"You know Sue maybe if you used the good conditioner like I do then you wouldn't be single," Axl gave her a mocking smile and Sue bit her lip, running her fingers over her hair nervously.

"Ignore the Ax-Man Sue, you're single because you're too awesome," Sean told her sweetly, a broad smile crossing Sue's face.

"Thanks," Sue said quietly, watching Sean with clear admiration that he didn't see because he stood and turned off the TV. Lexie's heart sank as she realized that Sue _liked_ Sean and all of a sudden she wasn't sure her plan to make Axl jealous was a good idea.

"Those Donahues and their charm," Axl muttered, rolling his eyes. "Alright ladies, we're off to get some grub-"

"I invited the girls to join us," Sean smiled at Lexie, his eyes on her for the first time in four hours. "I hope that's okay."

"Um, yeah," Axl looked between her and Sean quickly, confusion and an unreadable expression on his face. "That's fine. We'll go get the car be down in five."

Lexie bit her lip to hide her smile at Axl's behavior. Her and Sue watched the boys leave and almost as soon as the door was closed Lexie turned to Sue.

"So Sue, is there anyone you like you haven't mentioned to me?"

Sue paused for a moment, staring at the door before her eye's snapped towards Lexie's. "Have I told you about Tyler?"

Sue proceeded to tell her about the Campus Safe Ride driver as they made their way downstairs and when they walked outside Lexie walked around the car to sit behind Axl when Sean jumped out of the passenger seat to hold the backdoor open for Sue. Sue bit her lip in the car with pink cheeks making Lexie smirk.

Lexie knew she could be naïve but she had also never been asked out by a man to have him spend the better part of the next four hours with her roommate while she was in the same apartment. Sean liked Sue too, even if he didn't know it.

She had a new plan and it was still to flirt with Sean but with a new goal: to make her best friend realize her feelings for her neighbor.

If she also happened to make Axl jealous, well, that would great too.


	4. The Block Party

**for hiiii, who requested a love triangle with Derrick Glossner - this isn't a love triangle but hopefully still good!**

* * *

Birchwood block parties were famous in Orson.

The other streets in their neighborhood coveted the block parties on Birchwood and Sean wasn't positive but he wouldn't be surprised if the entire town wanted in on their block parties. Lawn mower races, delicious food and other various games made up the nearly 12 hour celebration surrounded by an endless flow of margaritas.

Sean had never missed a block party even though he attended a college for four years that was a five hour car drive away without traffic. Birchwood block parties were his favorite non-holiday but for the first time in his life, he's not enjoying the block party.

Sue had been fed margaritas all day courtesy of Frankie and was pretty drunk at this point, uneasy on her feet as she talks to Derrick Glossner. Sean has never considered himself a violent man but Derrick's ever-present hand on Sue's arm and occasionally her back are changing his mind.

"The only thing I hate more than bad hair days is Derrick Glossner." Sean laughed at Axl's statement, not taking his eyes off Sue and the too-close Derrick.

"He's the most bearable Glossner," Brick added from his left. "Which isn't saying much."

"Don't you remember the time he tried to steal money from us Brick?"

"You mean the time you took me driving and I knocked over the Orson cow and we offered our allowance as a reward?" Brick asked slowly. "Because he wasn't stealing it so much as lying about his brother knocking over the cow so they could take the reward."

"Yeah, he's a real stand up guy," Axl said sarcastically.

"You're in a mood," Sean pointed out with a laugh, Brick joining him.

"Laugh it up jerks but if Derrick asks Sue out you're breaking them up Brick," Axl crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm always the jerk."

"But you're so good at it," Sean smirked causing Brick to snicker.

"You don't really want to have to spend holidays with a Glossner do you?" Axl asked Brick, ignoring Sean. "Oh my god what if he brings his entire family?"

"No..." Brick trailed off, the amusement from his face gone as he watched Derrick talk to a drunk Sue. Sean grimaced as he watched Sue tell a story animatedly and stumble, Derrick reaching out his arms to steady her. Sue laughed and continued her story while Derrick kept his arm around her.

"He is a vulture," Axl groaned.

"I hate the Glossners," Brick admitted with a frown. "Derrick works at a construction company you know."

"That's great actually," Sean admitted. "Sounds like he may not be a total dirtbag."

"Don't be naïve, all of the Glossners are monsters and Derrick isn't an exception," Axl scoffed.

"He's going to use his job to get to Sue," Brick said, reluctance creeping into his voice. "Remember when he told Sue in high school that he didn't deserve her yet but he would one day?"

"No! He said what?" Axl cried loudly, earning the attention of some nearby neighbors, including Sue and Derrick. Sue grinned and bound up to them.

"Hey guys!" Sue greeted them sweetly. Sean had a hard time returning her excitement after the bomb Brick had just dropped. "Axl you would love this margarita it's frozen mango strawberry."

Axl took the drink from her hands quickly, a happy sigh leaving his lips at the taste of her drink.

"Hey Sean," Sue gave him a wide smile, throwing her arms around his neck for a hug. Sean wrapped his arms around her small torso hugging her tightly.

"Hey Suzy Q," Sean smiled at her. "Having a good time?"

"I love margaritas," Sue replied seriously, making Sean chuckle.

"I see that." Sean turned his attention to the blonde man who was making his way towards the group. "I also see you have an admirer in Derrick Glossner."

"Oh, we're just friends," Sue told him innocently causing Sean and Axl to share a look.

"Hey losers," Derrick smirked at the group smugly as he stopped

"Hey Derrick," Sean greeted Derrick with a tight smile while both Heck brothers scowled. "How are you doing?"

"I'm really good you know, I have this _great_ construction job and all of this _money_ I'm making with _no one_ to spend it on," Derrick smiled at Sue and Axl scoffed in disgust.

"That's great," Sean's smile grew tighter. There was no way he was going to watch someone hit on the girl he liked, especially not if the guy wasn't even going to pretend to be subtle. "Axl didn't you say you wanted to go-"

"Don't go!" Sue blurted. "I've only seen you once since school started and it was when you saved my apartment from my professor. I thought I'd see you more since we're practically on the same campus and Axl is dating my best friend and is over my apartment all the time. I'm honestly surprised you don't come over more just to play video games with Axl I mean he basically lives there-"

"So I'm allowed to invite my friends to your apartment even when Lexie isn't there?" Axl grinned mischievously.

"No just Sean."

"Why only Sean?" Brick interjected with amusement.

"Because he's respectful and polite and handsome and won't wreck our apartment," Sue gave Brick a look that said he should've known the answer to his question.

"Maybe I haven't invited him because I need someone to hang out with in Orson," Axl crossed his arms over his chest. Sean tried not to roll his eyes; the only reason Axl didn't invite him over was because Sue just called him handsome.

"You were at my apartment at school last night," Sean snorted, crossing his own arms over his chest. "And we're friends too Suzy, if you want to hang out you can text me and I'll be there."

"You have your own apartment?" Derrick asked Sue, taking a step closer to her.

"Yeah with my best friend Lexie."

"That sounds fun, is it a nice place?"

"It's so nice there's a doorman and everything."

"A doorman? This I have to see, when do I get an invite to see your apartment?"

"Oh," Sue paused, biting her lip in confusion, "you want to come to my apartment?"

"Well yeah," Derrick chuckled, placing his hand on the small of her back. Sean exhaled while opening and closing a fist a few times at the sight of Derrick in Sue's personal space. "We're friends too, don't I also get an invite?"

"I, uh, I guess," Sue looked wide-eyed between his arm and how close his face was. Derrick leant closer about to say something and Sue took a huge step to the side. "Please don't kiss me."

"What's the big deal?" Derrick laughed it off. "We've kissed before."

"Only because you forced yourself on me!"

"What?" Sean and Axl cried together and Sue shook her head furiously.

"Not like that more like sneak attacks," Sue clarified, "but I don't want you to kiss me. Derrick, you're actually a really nice guy and I'm so proud of you for how you've turned around your life in the past few months but I don't think you actually really like me-"

"Yes I do," Derrick cut her off swiftly. "That's why I just made a move on you-"

"We haven't talked in three years," Sue cut him off with a soft smile. "You like the idea of me because you gave yourself goals around me and built up your life but now its time for you to enjoy it and take out a girl who really likes you."

"And that isn't you," Derrick sighed. Sue gave him a guilty smile and he gave Sue a small sad smile in return and shrugged. "Because you like Sean Donahue."

"Exactly!" Sean felt his heartbeat in his ears and noticed the shocked looks on Brick's and Axl's faces at her admission out of the corner of his eye. "Wait, no I-"

"It's okay Sue," Derrick's smile widened slightly. "I think you were right about us and uh, don't tell anyone but I really appreciate your kind words about me. Good luck with Donahue, you deserve it."

Derrick walked away then, the three men surrounding Sue still staring at her in disbelief.

"I didn't mean, uh, I don't _like_ like, uh you Sean, I uh," Sue stumbled through her sentence and bit her lip while closing her eyes. "I'm going to go, uh, somewhere else."

Sue then hurriedly ran into the Heck house faster than Sean had ever seen her move.

"Well that was awkward-"

"Doesn't she have a boyfriend?" Sean blurted, cutting off Axl. "Axl you told me she had a boyfriend."

"She doesn't have a boyfriend," Axl furrowed his brow. "When did I tell you that? Was I drunk?"

"I don't know why I thought you'd be cool about me liking your sister but I didn't think you'd stoop so low as to lie about her having a boyfriend to keep me away from her!" Sean exploded.

"I'm sorry, did you just say that you like my _sister_?" Axl's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You already knew this Axl, God, you are such a jerk! I can't believe you-" Sean stopped abruptly when Brick jumped on Axl's back and pulled at his dark curls.

"You should leave now to go talk to Sue," Brick told Sean over Axl's head. "It's only a matter of time before he overpowers me."

"Sorry Ax-Man!" Sean grinned unapologetically, calling out to Axl over his shoulder as he followed Sue.

Maybe this block party wouldn't be so bad after all.


	5. A Dance in Kentucky

**Another possible missed scene, this time of A Very Donahue Vacation - enjoy!**

* * *

It took 22 years but the Hecks and Donahues finally went on vacation together. In true Heck fashion, it was to a cave city in Kentucky instead of somewhere cool (or even warm).

Sean had been hoping he'd get to spend time Axl but Axl was too busy trying to pick up chicks to pay him any attention, which left him with Sue. The always sweet Sue had done meditation, hot yoga and a hike with him and in return Sean went with her to some of the cave and rock sights the town had to offer.

It didn't surprise him that Sue would be nicer about his newfound look and attitude than Axl but it had surprised him just how little it bothered her. She not only seemed fine with it but she had also actively listened to all of his musings and shared some of her own.

It was nice to be heard.

Sean currently sat at a table on the outskirts of a dance during their final night at the resort, hiding a grin as he remembered the horrified look on his mother's face when he came down wearing his beanie and a loose-fitting white shirt as he surveyed the room.

His eyes locked with Axl's across the room. Axl was sitting in a booth with Brick, whom he'd spent a lot of time with on this vacation for which Sean was glad; the entire Heck family had always ignored Brick. Axl nodded in greeting, Sean nodding back.

"Hey Sean," Sue said cheerfully to his right, putting her purse down at the seat next to him. Sean turned to greet her and immediately sat up straighter, his eyes slightly widening as his eyes trailed over Sue's form in her hot pink dress. He had never seen Sue look so grown up.

Or hot.

"You look beautiful Suzy Q," he told her sincerely, shifting uncomfortably as he started to regret his choice to underdress.

"Thanks," Sue beamed at him and turned to survey the room. Sean took the opportunity to check her out again (and wondering when her hair got so _shiny_ ) when the chair on his other side was pulled out, the loud scraping on the floor getting his attention.

"Hey Sean," Mike said to him with lowered eyes. "Room looks good, doesn't it?"

"It looks great Mr. Heck," Sean agreed standing quickly. "I'm going to see if my mom wants to dance."

"You do that," Mike muttered with slight snort, sitting slowly.

"We should dance Dad!" Sue looked at Mike hopefully.

"Oh Sue," Mike's face filled with dread and guilt. "I don't think that's a good idea. No one is even really dancing."

"Exactly that's why more people need to get out there to start the party," Sue replied in her cheerful way.

"Sue," Mike sighed her name.

"Please Dad?" Sue walked around Sean to lightly tug on her father's arm.

"I don't dance," Mike said sternly and Sue's face dropped. She let go of his arm and gave Mike a toothless smile.

"Right," she whispered, clearing her throat to hide her disappointment. "Maybe I'll go get a drink-"

"I'll dance with you," Sean blurted. He had never been able to stand it when Sue was sad.

"Really?" Sue asked him hopefully. Sean's gaze flickered to Mike who nodded furiously.

"If you would do me the great honor, I would love to escort you in a dance," Sean grinned at her, holding out his elbow. Sue giggled and immediately put her arm through his.

Sean led her to the dance floor, Sue turning excitedly to place her hand lightly on his shoulder. Sean furrowed his brows; Sue was an entire arms length away from him. She held out her hand for him to take and he smirked, taking her hand. Sean took a step towards her as he simultaneously pulled her closer to him by the waist until they were half a foot apart.

"This is um, close," Sue laughed nervously.

"Suzy," Sean clicked his tongue, "how can we dance if you're two feet away?"

"Okay you're right," Sue agreed, biting her lip. "I'm just not used to dancing with a guy that isn't, well that isn't Brad."

"Now I feel special that I'm one of the few that gets to dance with you," Sean grinned and Sue rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Sorry I look like a hobo."

"I don't think you look like a hobo," Sue gave him a wide smile. "I already told you I like the beard."

"I know but I could've dressed nicer for the occasion," Sean admitted quietly. Sue smirked and leant a little closer.

"Your mom is too many margaritas in to care anymore."

"That's true." A smirk crossed his face. "It has been fun to annoy her."

"That's very un-"

"Very un-Donahue," Sean cut her off with a slight frown. "I know, that's what everyone says."

"Actually I was going to say it was very un- _Sean_ ," Sue corrected with a raised eyebrow. "You've never been a person who enjoys upsetting other people."

"Yeah I really don't," Sean admitted, "but my parents deserve it for how they're acting over this whole thing. They're treating me like a drug addict instead of realizing that I'm attending Notre Dame on a full academic scholarship with a well-earned 4.0, I'm vice president of my fraternity and I've never done anything bad or even questioned them once in my life. I don't think it's too much to ask that I be allowed to explore other career options."

"I don't either," Sue agreed with a small smile, "and you're so smart you would be successful in anything that you did. Your parents should trust you'd still pick a respectable career and do well."

"Thank you!" Sean stated, a smile crossing his face as well.

"I still think you'll be a doctor though," Sue confessed, laughing when Sean made a face.

"Not you too."

"Of course I'm going to say that, I'm the reason you want to be a doctor or did you forget?"

"No." Sean could never remember one of the worst days of his life: when Axl pushed Sue out of the Donahue treehouse. Even at six Axl's fuse was short and he was fighting with Sue about a toy so he pushed her and accidentally pushed her towards the exit at which time Sue fell nearly an entire story before landing on her right arm, breaking it in two places.

Axl cried more than Sue did but Sean had been horrified when he couldn't stop Sue's (admittedly minimal) crying or fix her arm himself and it was then he declared that he wanted to be a doctor when he grew up so he could make Sue better.

His parents at first had thought it was the cutest thing they'd ever heard, especially when their six-year-old son broke his piggybank and begged his mother to drive him to the store to buy Sue flowers as an apology, but over the years he had never strayed from his goal of wanting to become a doctor. Well, until now.

"Daisies are still my favorite flower you know," Sue said conversationally causing Sean to shake his head in mock disgust.

"Daisies aren't allowed to be your favorite! They were all I could afford on my six-year-old allowance."

"Why not?"

"They're too common and you're too special." Sean tried not to grin at the pinkness that spread across Sue's cheeks but he failed. "I'll start buying you flowers for holidays until you find a better favorite."

"Thanks for hanging out with me the past few days," Sue said shyly, ignoring his comment about him buying her flowers. "I know you'd rather be with Axl-"

"You were great company and really it's me who should be thanking you," Sean cut her off, awarding her a gentle smile.

Sue opened her mouth to reply but the song changed to an older upbeat song and all the older women coming on the floor pushed her directly against his chest. Sean managed to get her off the dance floor before either of them got trampled, the pair ending up next to Axl and Brick.

"You look pretty," Brick told Sue honestly and she beamed at the praise.

"I don't think so," Axl cut in rudely. "Your dress is too short."

"I think she looks pretty too," Sean gave Axl a look, making Axl narrow his eyes before smirking.

"So are you going to dance with your girlfriend all night or can you have a drink with me?" Axl's smirk deepened as held out a beer.

"Ease up Ax-Man," Sean rolled his eyes, taking the offered beer. "I'll have a drink with you."

"Will you dance with me Sue?" Brick asked. "I love this song."

"Of course!"

Sean took a long sip of his beer, watching as Brick and Sue started to dance. A smile crept over his face as Brick started doing his signature moves and Sue threw her head back in laughter.

"Stop." Sean smirked at Axl's stern voice but didn't take his eyes off of Axl's siblings.

"Stop what?" Sean asked innocently, taking the rare opportunity to get under Axl's skin.

"I was joking but if you don't stop staring at my sister I'm actually going to punch you."

"I could take you," Sean snorted into his beer, still not looking at Axl. "And I'm not staring at Sue."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Whatever."

Axl and Sean stood in silence for a moment, both watching as Sue twirled Brick on the dance floor until Axl spoke again.

"You really think you could take me Donahue?"

"Positive."


	6. The Fight

**for Tes1501, who wanted to Sue and Sean to get into a fight and make-up**

* * *

"He's going to break up with me!" Sue manages to spit out before slamming the apartment door behind her and promptly bursting into tears.

Both Lexie and Brad look up in alarm from the coffee table, their game of Celebrity Crazy-Eights forgotten at the sight of a distraught Sue. Brad jumps up from the floor quickly and crosses the small area in two wide strides.

"What are you talking about?" Brad puts his arm around Sue, who immediately buries her head into his chest. "Why would Sean break up with you I thought things were going well?"

"They are, well _were_ ," Sue says between shaky breaths, "but we just got into a fight and I didn't hold back at all. I went way over the line!"

"I'm sure that's not true," Lexie gives her a tentative smile as she gets up from her position on the floor as well and starts to rub Sue's back. "You never say anything rude, not even to Axl."

"Okay I wasn't _mean_ but I wasn't my usual weak self," Sue explains.

"You aren't weak," Lexie says in a stern voice. "You're strong."

"You _are_ strong," Brad confirms, taking a step back to help Sue out of her hot pink peacoat. "What even happened?"

Sue hesitates. "It's stupid, I should go apologize-"

"Not until you tell us what happened," Brad gives Sue a hard look that makes her throw herself on the couch.

"He doesn't want to tell anyone that we're dating."

"What?" Lexie and Brad exclaim together causing fresh tears to gather in Sue's eyes.

"Well, he does and he doesn't. He doesn't mind our friends knowing but he doesn't want to tell our families."

"You mean everyone but Axl?" Lexie clarifies, her tone hopeful.

"No, he doesn't want to tell Axl either," Sue admits as she leans her head on the edge of the soda to stare at the ceiling.

"But Axl is his best friend! And your brother!" Lexie's eyes get wider than normal.

"That's not even the real issue," Brad visibly winces. "You're terrible at keeping secrets."

"I'm the _worst_ at keeping secrets!" Sue agrees, throwing her hands up as she continues to stare at the ceiling. "How am I supposed to go home for Thanksgiving and not only not tell my family about my great boyfriend but also see him constantly and not act like a couple?"

"Are you sure you'll run into him?" Lexie asks nervously.

"He lives across the street and Axl will definitely invite him over at some point. Or my mom. Or Mrs. Donahue will bring him by-" Sue sits up quickly, placing her hands on her face in horror. "Oh my God how am I going to lie to Mrs. Donahue? She's the nicest person alive I can't lie to her!"

"Did he tell you why he doesn't want to tell anyone?" Brad asks apprehensively.

"Something about how we just started dating and our families are friends and it would be too soon to get them involved," Sue rambles, her words running together. Lexie and Brad exchange glances and Sue jumps on them. "I'm wrong aren't I? It's too soon and our families are friends and it would be weird if it didn't work out! I'm a terrible girlfriend aren't I?"

"What did you say that you thought was so out of line?" Brad asks curiously.

"I, uh, I don't, uh, want to say," Sue confesses. A loud knock comes to their door and she rolls her eyes. "Go away Axl, Lexie isn't here-"

"It's Sean." Sue freezes and shakes her head furiously at Brad, who clicks his tongue in disappointment at her and opens the door to a concerned looking Sean.

"Sean," Brad greets with a blank expression and Sean winces.

"Hey Brad, Lexie," Sean pauses as he turns to Sue, visibly wincing at her state. "Suzy-"

"Now is not the time for cute nicknames-"

"You really think I'm embarrassed to call you my girlfriend?" Sean blurts, cutting Sue off. Lexie's mouth drops as Brad's eyes get comically large.

"No," Sue pauses, "well maybe, I don't know Sean okay! Axl's told me multiple times the only way someone like you would ever date me would be on a dare or if you suffered recent head trauma or-"

"Since when do you listen to Axl?" Sean tilts his head in assessment of her. "He's wrong and so are you. I'm not embarrassed by you; I've never been embarrassed to be your friend why would I be embarrassed to have you as my girlfriend?"

"I don't, I don't know," Sue whispers.

"If I was embarrassed by you," Sean continues in a frustrated tone, "I wouldn't have asked you out. There's nothing embarrassing about you anyway. You're beautiful, smart, sweet; what's not to like?"

"Well Axl-"

"If you tell me one more thing Axl told you I'm going to hurt him," Sean cuts her off again, his irritation obvious as he starts to move towards her, "and I don't think that will help him not freak out when he finds out I'm dating his sister." Sean stops in front of her and gives her a soft smile, using his thumbs to gently wipe some tears off her cheeks. "You're great Sue."

"Really?" Sue asks in same high-pitched way she always has and Sean grins fully.

"Really. And I _do_ want to tell everyone I know that you're my girlfriend and I'm so sorry I made you feel like I was or am embarrassed by you because I'm not, I only wanted some time to enjoy you to myself before my mom swoops in and ropes you into doing things with her and my sisters or before Axl flips out and stops talking to me."

"You shouldn't be sorry, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions and stormed out of your apartment," Sue tilts her head into his head with a small smile. "I think you're right, we should wait until after Thanksgiving. We'll spend it separately with our families then tell everyone before Christmas." Sean opens his mouth to reply but Sue wasn't finished. "I'm not missing two holidays in a row of your mother's amazing cooking, you know my mom microwaves everything."

"Deal," Sean chuckles, wrapping his arms around her and leaning down until their foreheads were touching. "Just do me a favor and never listen to anything Axl has ever told you that wasn't nice."

"So nothing he's ever said?" Sue jokes, Sean laughing slightly.

"I'm serious, I really like you and I'm not embarrassed by you even a little bit."

"Okay, I get it," Sue makes a show of rolling her eyes, "I'm great."

"You are," Sean confirms, leaning forward and kisses her deeply until Lexie clears her throat.

"I'm so sorry but Axl is supposed to come over at 6 and its 5:57," Lexie bites her lip and gives Sue a guilty look.

"Okay," Sue says dreamily, still within inches of Sean. Sean laughs and pulls her towards the couch with an arm around her shoulder. Sean sits on the couch, Sue taking a seat between him and Brad, pouting as Sean removes his arm from her shoulder.

"I hate it too," Sean agrees with a grimace. "We'll tell Axl the second our families leave on Thanksgiving. Enjoy your last holiday without my mom talking you into helping her make pie at 6am on Thanksgiving. Or Shelley trying to hustle you out of money."

"She does that now," Sue tells him causing him to groan.

"She needs to be locked in the house until she's 30, she's going to be so much trouble."

"I can't imagine anyone related to you being trouble," Brad comments with a raised eyebrow.

"She isn't, she's totally sweet," Sue pats Sean's knee lightly. "Shelley keeps asking me to play games with her because I always win and take her money."

"You take money from a 13-year-old?" Brad asks with amusement.

"What, she tries to take money from me!" Sean snorts.

"All of you Hecks are the same."

"Not Brick," Lexie adds to the conversation. "I can't figure him out."

"Brick isn't a chatter," Sue supplies, "but he's easy, he likes most people as long as they don't hate _Planet Nowhere_."

"What's _Planet Nowhere_?"

"It's an amazing book series where a race of Siligons-"

"You like _Planet Nowhere_?" Sue cuts Sean off in surprise. "Don't ever tell Brick, he'll make you have long discussions about it."

"I love _Planet Nowhere_ but Brick never wants to talk to me or anyone anyway."

"He will if you tell him you like _Planet Nowhere_ ," Sue shoots back while rolling her eyes.

"Then I guess Brick and I are going to be great friends," Sean grins, leaning towards her slightly, "because I love that series and would love to talk about it with your brother."

"You're such a suck up," Sue makes a face at Sean and his arm falls back to her shoulders.

"I love Brick," Sean disagrees, "I love your whole family." Sean sighs under his breath. "We should tell them."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you were right, we should tell them. They'll be happy for us and hopefully also be excited," Sean leans forward, placing his free hand on Sue's thigh. "We'll do it tomorrow?"

"Okay," Sue replies in a dreamy tone and Sean shakes his head slightly before he kisses her again.

"Ha!" Axl cries, walking into the apartment. "Right on time- son of a _bitch_!"


	7. Donahues Aren't Fools

**I'm busy with work this week but I wanted to update since I haven't in a while with a oneshot I already had focusing on the Donahues but don't worry the few requests made have been noted/started :)**

* * *

Sean isn't sure when the shift happened but he can't stop thinking about Sue.

He mentions her all the time to his roommates, thinks about her when he's trying to study, and daydreams about her on the long drives to his medical school interviews like he's a 14-year-old girl.

He's becoming paranoid at how much he might like her, knowing Axl will freak out but not knowing how his family will react. He's nervous when he goes home for the summer he'll be obvious about his feelings and the worst part is that he doesn't know how to turn off his Sue-filled thoughts or keep his name out of her mouth.

It's infuriating.

"How did the interview at IU go?" His dad asks him at Easter.

"Great! I went to East Indy after and hung out with Axl and Sue," Sean replies quickly.

"How are they doing?"

"Axl is, well, Axl and Sue is doing great." Don't do it Sean. "She's adjusted so well at college and she's so much smarter and mature than she used to be. She lives in the nicest apartment I think I've ever seen."

"I'm glad to hear it," Ron grins at him.

"Me too." Sean pauses before continuing before he can stop himself. "I had the best onion rings I've never had in my life at this bar Sue suggested."

"Better than Tally's?" His dad perks up.

"Better than Tally's!" Sean confirms. "Sue even-" Sean stops abruptly to stop his word vomit, hoping his dad doesn't catch on.

He does.

"So you like Sue?"

* * *

"I can't believe I forgot to tell you!"

Sean rolls his eyes; there can't be a single thing about Orson that his mother _forgot_ to tell him over the past 40 minutes. Sean had been playing video games in his room at Notre Dame when his mom had called him and he knew, he _knew_ he shouldn't have picked up but he did and has been held hostage since.

"Sue Heck came to the house looking for you the night of that ball she told you she didn't have a date for."

Sean drops his controller. "She did?"

"Oh Sean she looked so beautiful in her red dress!" Nancy gushes, Sean making a noise of irritation under his breath. He had seen a photo of her and Axl at the ball and she really had looked beautiful. It made his heart hurt that she would rather go with Axl and lie to him saying that she had a date rather than go with him. Hint received, Sue Heck. "Her makeup and her hair were both done so perfectly and she looked so grown up-"

"Mom," Sean cuts her off sternly, trying not to lose his cool. "She came to the house?"

"Yes, she pulled up in Axl's RV in such a hurry looking for you. I felt so bad telling her that you had already left to go back to school."

"But she had a date," Sean says slowly, his body tensing.

"She said the situation changed." Sean closes his eyes, _that's why she went with Axl_. "She looked so sad."

"She did?"

"Yes and then she said the weirdest thing," Nancy pauses. "She said that she was just chasing something that probably isn't even a thing. What do you think that means?"

"I don't know," Sean replies, his head starting to swim with possibility as he picks up his laptop. "That is weird."

"Isn't it? Sue is just the sweetest though." Sean tunes out his mother as she starts talking about something Frankie told her as he starts looking up snowglobes online.

* * *

The next summer in Orson feels like the longest three months of his life.

With Axl in Europe, his internship with the senator and only a handful of his friends not working full-time jobs after having recently graduated, Sean doesn't have many people to hang out with. The one person he would be hanging out with all the time is the same one he's trying to avoid due to his unfortunate feelings and her boyfriend status but it's hard when she lives across the street.

In his avoidance of his neighbor Sean spends most of the time he isn't working on the couch in his parent's basement. He can tell that his family knows something is up with him but being Donahues none of them have asked him about it.

The closest any of them had come to asking him is Nancy suggesting that he do something with his sisters, which Sean dismisses immediately, telling her that he's sure his 13 and 15-year-old sisters would rather hang out with their friends than him.

It turns out he doesn't have to wait long until one of them cracks.

"So what's your damage," Dotty asks him one day in early July, flopping next to him on the couch.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sean replies, not turning away from the television.

"You've been moping all summer," Dotty nudges his shoulder with hers.

"I haven't been moping," Sean scowls. "I went to happy hour with Greg Norwood two days ago and hung out with Nick Roberts last weekend."

"You aren't acting like yourself," Dotty bites the inside of her cheek. "I know Axl isn't around this summer but you haven't even hung out with Sue or taken us out for ice cream and you always do that in the summer-"

"Nothing's wrong Dotty," he snaps and immediately feels guilty when Dotty's face falls.

"You're lying," Dotty says quietly, staring at her hands on her jeans. They're slightly shaking causing Sean to wince; Dotty _hated_ confronted him. "You don't have to tell me what's wrong, just know I'm here for you."

"Nothing is wrong," Sean softens his voice and gives his sister a slight smile, "but thank you."

"Okay." Her hands are still shaking.

"Maybe we could go get ice cream tonight Milkshake?" Dotty smiles at the old nickname she asked him to stop using when she turned 11.

"I'll go ask Shelley. Maybe Sue is free and will want to come too?" Dotty looks so hopeful, the shaking in her hands finally calmed down that Sean couldn't say no.

"I'll text her but Dotty?" Dotty pauses in her movements to leave the basement and turns to him expectantly. "Maybe next week we can go just the two of us?" Dotty beams and nods so furiously that he instantly feels bad he's never asked her to go alone before.

He texts Sue to ask if she is free to join them and her response comes within seconds: _I would love to go! You have perfect timing, I just finished washing the potato smell out of my hair! I'll be over in 15, is that cool?_

Sean chuckles lightly as a small smile crosses his face before exhaling sharply as he recognizes how pathetic he is at receiving a _single_ text from Sue.

He is unable to keep the smile off of his face as he types his response, missing the fact that Dotty is watching him with a wide smile on her face.

* * *

After Sean helps Sue and Lexie get their apartment back he tries to give her some space.

He can admit he came on pretty strong with his line about rescuing and while Sue has never come across as being a potentially needy girl he's still kind of down she hasn't reached out to him since. So it's safe to say he's surprised when three weeks later while his parents and sisters are visiting him for the weekend he opens the door to Sue's smiling face.

"What are you doing here?" Sean asks, harsher than he intended which earns him a dirty look from his mom.

"Your mom invited me to have dinner with you guys," Sue bites her lip nervously. "Is that okay?"

"Of course Suzy Q," Sean gives her an apologetic smile as he steps aside to grant her entry into his apartment. "I'm sorry, I was surprised."

"That's okay," Sue accepts his apology easily, turning before picking up a box that had been resting at her feet that she is clearly struggling to carry. "I brought some old clothes for the girls."

Sean chuckles before reaching out and taking the box from her and dropping it in his living room. "The girls can look at them later, I'm hungry. Are we all ready to go?" His family starts to get their coats on and he looks back at Sue, who is staring at him with a dazed expression.

"Sue?" Her eyes snap towards his in alarm.

"I wasn't staring at your arms," she says quickly.

"I, I didn't say you were?" Sean says in a voice that he knows isn't cool by the snort his dad lets out under his breath.

"Okay." Sue stands there awkwardly, seeming to be shaking her head at herself but before Sean can comment his mother cuts in.

"So Sue what is a good place to eat around here?"

Sean waits as Sue, his mother and his sisters exit his apartment, moving to follow them but stops when his dad places his hand on his arm.

"You're making moves on her right?"

"What? On Sue?" Sean baulks when Ron nods. "She has a boyfriend."

"It can't be that serious, she obviously likes you." His dad gives him a look that says he should know that. "And you like her."

"Haven't we been over this?"

"Yes and you lied," Ron gives him another look. "You're putting the moves on her, aren't you?"

Sean pauses. "Maybe."

Ron laughs and puts his arm around Sean's shoulder, giving him tips as they leave for dinner.

* * *

Sean is still single and hating his life sans-Sue when Thanksgiving rolls around.

Thanksgiving Eve Axl shows up at his parent's house before they go out to the only bar in Orson, telling Sean quietly that he needs a real home-cooked meal because Frankie is hosting Thanksgiving again this year.

Sean laughs, glad that Axl will never change, and leads him into the kitchen where Nancy gets so excited to see Axl she starts taking things out of the fridge to cook before she's even finished hugging him.

"Hank really dumped his date to take you to Homecoming because you didn't have a date?" Axl clicks his tongue in amusement as he sits in on dinner with the Donahues. "He _loves_ you."

"No he doesn't!" Shelley exclaims, granting Axl a dirty look.

"Axl's right Shel," Sean grins, pointing his fork at her. "He totally likes you."

"Stop it!" Shelley whines, wrinkling her nose.

"What's the problem? He's cute and his brother is hot so you know he will be in a few years," Dotty jumps into the conversation.

"It makes me uncomfortable when you call guys hot," Axl teases Dotty. "Aren't you like, 12?"

"I don't see what the problem is either," Nancy says to Shelley while handing Dotty the mashed potatoes. "You two are best friends."

"Exactly!" Shelley stresses. "That's the only reason he did it."

"The only reason he did that was to show you how much he likes you," Sean makes a face before turning to Axl. "Maybe we should go have a chat with him."

"A shakedown?" Axl grins mischievously. "We haven't done one of those since Sue was dating that short wrestler, dude, that guy was the _worst_. What was his name again?"

"Matt," Sean supplies with a shiver, an action Axl mirrors.

"Leave my friend alone!" Shelley narrows her eyes at her brother, Sean shrugging.

"No promises."

"Sean!"

"Hey, no one is allowed to date my sister without being a little afraid of me," Sean tells her. "Someone has to keep him in line."

"He doesn't like me," Shelley growled.

"Sure he doesn't," Dotty smirks, Shelley groaning loudly.

"No he doesn't! Sean drives five hours at a time to offer to bring Sue to proms and balls that she doesn't have dates to and he doesn't like her!" Shelley explains in frustration. "And Sean's been turned down as that date three times but I guarantee he would do it tonight for her if she needed him but none of you are sitting here accusing him of liking Sue!"

"That's because it's Sue," Axl rolls his eyes, oblivious to the energy shift in the room. When no one responds he looks around the table to see Nancy tilting her head in thought while Dotty is glaring at Shelley and Sean shifts uncomfortably in his chair. Axl drops his fork noisily onto his plate. "You like my sister don't you?"

"Maybe," Sean answers nonchalantly, Axl throwing his head back and groaning.

"What the _hell_ Sean-"

"Nice going," Dotty whispers to Shelley, who mouths 'sorry' to her brother. Sean shrugs in response, Axl had to find out sometime.

* * *

A long month later, Sean rings the doorbell to his parent's house with his girlfriend's small hand snug in his larger one.

He finally nabbed the girl of his dreams thanks to the snowglobe he purchased and being so miserable without her that he blurted to her how much he liked her while they were playing Celebrity Old Maid with Brad.

Luckily for his unsmooth-self, she felt the same and they had started dating which led Sean to bring her home to 'meet his parents'. Sean didn't tell his parents much about his new girlfriend but he heard the disappointment in his mom's voice when he failed to mention that his new girlfriend is Sue.

Ever since finding out he liked Sue, his mom had become convinced they were meant to be and even though he agreed he was _so_ over her daily texts asking if he had asked out Sue yet that he decided to leave out his new girlfriend's name in lieu of his mom blowing up his phone even more.

Sue tugs on his hand lightly touching the back of his hand with her free one. "You don't think your parents will be upset that I'm your girlfriend, do you?"

"Of course not," Sean pulls her closer by their joined hands. "They _love_ you."

"Really?" Sue looks up at him, her hopeful smile bright. Sean's eyes flicker to her lips before meeting her eyes again.

"Really." Sue smiles at him, instantly calmed and Sean grins before leaning down to capture her lips with his. He had just wrapped his arm around her to pull her closer when a high-pitched scream tears them apart.

"Mom?" Sean stares at his mother wide-eyed who is jumping up and down in excitement and is clearly responsible for the scream. "Are you serious?"

"I was hoping Sue was your girlfriend!" Nancy exclaims, reaching out to take Sue's hand to drag her inside. "I'm so glad I made your favorite…"

Sean tunes out his mother instead watching Sue look at him with a beaming smile over her shoulder and he winks before flashing her his own beaming smile.

'Told you' he mouths.


	8. Axl Saves the Day

**Okay so last night's episode was amazing and heartbreaking at the same time and I wrote this really fast.**

 **It's a little different as it's mostly from Axl's POV but I think it's believable for him to step in at some point since neither Sean or Sue are speaking up for themselves. Enjoy!**

* * *

It doesn't happen often but Axl feels bad for Sue.

The past few times he's been to Sue and Lexie's apartment over the current week she's been sullen, quiet, and hasn't responded to any of his taunts; all of which are the opposite of her normal behavior.

He tried to get information from both Lexie and Brad unsuccessfully but he has a feeling his attempts where a bust due to neither of them wanting to tell him that Sue likes his best friend.

Axl isn't as dumb as everyone thinks he is; he can see how Sue lights up when Sean is around, how excited she gets when he compliments her and how much she values him as a friend. She's made a few jokes about dating Sean to him that Axl brushed off but he knew she wasn't kidding. Axl has caught her staring at Sean more times than he can count but she doesn't know how many times Axl has caught _Sean_ staring at _Sue_.

He's always had his suspicions that Sean liked Sue but it wasn't confirmed until Sean came up to East Indy and took out Lexie. Axl was both pleasantly surprised and confused when Sean was genuinely happy for Axl when he told him that he was dating Lexie; Sean had even told him that he could tell Axl liked her based on his reaction to their failed date. Sean had asked him questions about his relationship with Lexie before asking about Sue and her boyfriend and it clicked that his suspicions were right: Sean had come to the apartment to talk to Sue and not Lexie.

Axl knew he should have told Sean that Sue was not in fact seeing anyone but hey, if Sean wasn't going to tell his best friend that he wanted to date his sister than Axl certainly wasn't going to help him do so.

"Aw Sue, still sad?" Lexie asks Sue when he and Lexie enter the apartment after dinner the next Friday night to find Sue and Brad surrounded by junk food and bottles of wine. "I brought you home a piece of chocolate cake."

Sue gives Lexie a sad smile but doesn't reply so Brad does. "I _still_ can't believe you lied to him and told him that you liked the Postmates guy."

"I don't want to go with his friend," Sue replies quietly. Axl nearly rolls his eyes; do they really thinking using pronouns will stop him from knowing they are talking about Sean?

"Of course you don't," Brad pats Sue's knee sympathetically, "you want to go out with him."

Axl hates himself but it's so unlike Sue to mope around for days (and okay, also because he hates seeing her like this) that he decides for the second time ever to break their unspoken agreement to never directly mention her feelings for Sean.

"If you like Sean so much why don't you just ask him out?" The jaws of all three of the occupants in the apartment drop. Sue looks at him like he's suddenly grown another head and he sighs. "Just a suggestion."

Sue still doesn't say anything, still staring at him in disbelief.

"That's what I said," Brad says finally, giving Axl a wide smile that has never been sent his way before. "She doesn't need him to make a move."

"Don't you mean more moves than the many he's already made?" Lexie points out, squeezing Axl's hand while also giving him a wide smile.

"He's been hitting on you even though he thought you had a boyfriend and you _still_ haven't done anything?" Axl sighs loudly in disgust and gives Sue a disbelieving look of his own. "What is wrong with you?"

"You're the one who told him I had a boyfriend," Sue finally speaks, her face contorting to annoyance. "And he isn't hitting on me! At least, I don't think he is."

"That was a misunderstanding," Axl supplies, not missing the eye rolls of Brad and Lexie at Sue's statement, "but it apparently didn't even matter since he's been hitting on you anyway. Not well enough for you to not pick up on it though."

"He told her they rescue each other," Brad deadpans and Axl groans.

"How is it that I'm considered the dumb one in our family?" Axl muses, shaking his head.

"I'm not dumb Axl, Sean has always been nice to me," Sue defends herself. "Sean is a confident guy if he liked me wouldn't he just ask me out? I told him I don't have a boyfriend."

"I don't know," Axl admits, Lexie giving him a surprised look to which he shrugs. "Sean has been overridden by his parents his entire life to do the right thing and asking out your best friend's sister who happens to not only be your neighbor but also the daughter of your parent's best friends has the potential to be a messy situation if you didn't like him."

"I think he tried to ask you out but you cut him off and suggested you guys set each other up on dates," Brad gives Sue a hard look and Axl exhales sharply.

"You're _terrible_ at this."

"Did he say anything to you?" Lexie asks him. _You mean aside from him coming here to tell her that he likes her and I turned him away because I thought he meant you?_ Axl thinks.

"No," Axl lies.

"Maybe you could find out?" Brad suggests in a high-pitched voice, knowing it's a reach.

"No," Sue answers for him, the annoyance drops from Sue's face as pure devastation creeps into her features. "Axl shouldn't have to do this for me. I'm too weak because he's so _so_ great and I don't know if I can handle the rejection from him."

"But wouldn't you rather-"

"Let's be real," Sue cuts off Lexie, her eyes shining with tears under the lights in the living room, "he doesn't like me. Axl has told me so many times Sean would never like a total loser like me and he's not wrong." Sue shakes her head at Brad, who looks like he wants to cry. "It's okay Brad. I'm not okay right now but I will be, honestly it's probably better this way."

At that Sue leaves the room and Axl doesn't bother to look at either Brad or Lexie as he leaves the apartment.

* * *

Axl stands in front of Sean's apartment knocking non-stop on the door impatiently.

Sean finally opens the door after twenty seconds of straight knocking and is clearly surprised to see Axl.

"Hey Ax-Man," Sean gives him a half smile in greeting, obviously not his usual cheery self. "What are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing _here_?" Axl counters, Sean leaning back slightly.

"What does that mean, I live here-"

"What are you doing here at _St. Matthews_?" Axl cuts him off sharply. "I know you were matched with Duke and you loved Duke so-"

"What is this exactly?" Sean cuts him off this time with narrowed eyes.

"I want to know why you chose to sit on a waitlist for St. Matthews when you got into what has been your first choice med school since sophomore year of high school," Axl pushes past Sean to walk into his apartment. Sean makes a face and opens his mouth but Axl speaks again. "Choose your answer wisely, you've always been a terrible liar."

"My priorities changed," Sean says carefully causing Axl to snort.

"Is that what you call choosing a med school that's nearly on top of the school my sister goes to because you have the hots for her?"

"Oh are we talking about this now?" Sean scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because I'd love to talk about how you lied about Sue having a boyfriend."

"Please, according to Brad and Lexie you've been making moves on her anyway so don't bother telling me that stopped you," Axl rolls his eyes. "That was a misunderstanding, I thought you were there for Lexie."

" _Lexie_?" Sean cries, his eyes widening instantly. "Why would you think that?"

"You said something about the last time you had been at East Indy you didn't say what you wanted to but I forgot you came up to offer to bring Sue to that ball," Axl confesses with a slight wince. "I am sorry for that but that wasn't all me; we're supposed to be best friends how could you not tell me that you liked Sue?"

"I thought you knew," Sean admits with a small shrug. "I feel like I'm so obvious."

"You are," Axl gives him a look, "but that doesn't mean you shouldn't tell me to my face."

"You're right," Sean grimaces, running his fingers through his short hair. "You're totally right, I'm sorry Axl. This whole thing is driving me crazy."

"You really like Sue that much?" Axl asks before he can stop himself.

"Would I turn down Duke if I didn't?" Sean counters, sighing. Axl doesn't respond, instead watching Sean sit on his couch and put his head in his hands. "I'm pathetic but I couldn't stand the thought of being so far away from her again; she's all I can think about and I've tried and failed to ask Sue out multiple times now and there's no way she doesn't know I like her! I'm so obvious-"

"You're obvious all right," Axl snorts indignantly. "Obvious to everyone but Sue. She doesn't think you like her."

"She doesn't?" Sean picks up his head to look at Axl in surprise.

"It's my fault," Axl shifts his shoulders trying not to show much this fact upsets him. "In all of the making fun of her I've done the only things that she took away after all these years that she isn't good enough for you and that you would never like her."

"You said that to her? What is wrong with you-"

"A lot is wrong with me," Axl cuts him off again. "I'll deal with what I did later but you need to go talk to Sue. Now."

"You aren't mad I like Sue?" Sean asks incredulously. "You really want me to ask her out?"

"Maybe Sue and I don't always get along but that doesn't mean I don't want her to be happy and you…" Axl trails off, looking his best friend directly in the eye. "If there's anyone I want to date my sister it's someone who is desperate enough to turn down Duke for the chance to be with her."

A smile crosses Sean's face. "Really?"

"Yeah now stop being such a Donahue and go ask my sister out," Axl says sternly then pauses. "And don't ever mention her to me again."

"Thanks Ax-Man."

"Whatever."


	9. Eyes Wide Open

**For Bev McDole-Kruger and how I wish the upcoming episode Eyes Wide Open would go (but sadly know it won't, as the actor that plays Sean isn't listed a guest star)**

* * *

 _Are you awake?_

Sue looks at the text she just sent, hoping it doesn't look like a late-night hookup request. Not that she would mind if the recipient wanted to hookup but she doesn't think it's a good idea to hookup with someone she's been in love with since middle school- her phone buzzes with a response.

 _Can't sleep Suzy Q?_

She types her response quickly. _I accidentally watched Silence of the Lambs so no sleep for me._

Sue taps her fingers on the couch, his reply coming within seconds and causing her to smile; she was right in what she thought he would say: _I'll be over in 20._

* * *

A sharp knock comes to her door exactly 20 minutes later, and Sue flings open the door, throwing herself into Sean's arms.

"I'm never sleeping again!"

Sean chuckles in her ear, his arms tight around her as he walks her backwards into the apartment, kicking the door closed with his foot. Her heart starts to calm down for the first time in the past six hours at his touch. "How exactly did you accidentally watch _The Silence of the Lambs_?"

"I uh," Sue stumbles her words into his shoulder, "I thought it was a movie about lambs?"

Sean laughs outright at that, releasing Sue to take a step back and remove his coat. He hangs it on the rack behind him before turning to her again. "Why didn't you read the movie summary?"

She takes a moment to hate him for making a Notre Dame sweatshirt and bright purple sweatpants look so _good_ before responding. "I wanted to be surprised."

"Well at least you can't say that you weren't," Sean muses, taking a seat on the couch. "Terrible timing huh?"

" _Horrible_ timing." She had told Sean this past Wednesday during their weekly Pizza Afternoon Extravaganza (Brad may have picked the name) that she finally had the apartment to herself as Lexie was going home for the weekend and Axl would be in Chicago visiting Hutch so he couldn't drop in unannounced and how excited she was.

Too bad it was 1:43am on Friday night and the excitement was gone.

"Did you try watching anything else to help calm you down?" Sean asks, leaning over the back of the couch to watch her flit around the kitchen. Sue holds up a water pitcher in offering and he nods, Sue taking two glasses out of the cabinet.

"I watched two romantic comedies, my favorites actually, and nothing!" Sue tells him, pouring out two glasses of water.

"Maybe you need to watch something mindless," Sean suggests. Sue puts the water pitcher back in the fridge, the hairs on her arm standing up as she is too aware of Sean's eyes on her. She's kind of annoyed with herself for not changing out of her lavender swirl-patterned leggings and oversized hoodless dark green East Indiana State sweatshirt; at the very least she wishes she took the yellow scrunchie out of her hair.

"Aren't romantic comedies mindless?" Sue asks, handing him a glass and sitting next to him on the sofa. "That's what Axl always tells me."

"Not for you," Sean smiles at her, taking a sip of water. "Romantic movies get you overly excited." Sue took a sip of water herself, silently agreeing with him. "I think we should watch an action movie to take the edge off."

"An action movie?" A slow smile crosses Sue's face as she thinks about it. "That's a great idea!"

"Do you want to pick one or do you want me to?"

"You can pick," Sue says quickly, both her and Sean leaning forward to put their glasses down at the same time.

"I say we go with _Fast Five._ It's one of the _Fast and the Furious_ movies but also kind of like _Ocean's Eleven_ , you'll love it," Sean grins at her, picking up the remote and setting up the movie.

* * *

The pair sits in silence for the first 15 minutes but Sean's eyes travel to her every time she jumps at something in the movie, waiting for someone to pop out unexpectedly. The tenth time she jumps (yes, she counts) Sean speaks up.

"Sue." Sue looks at him to see him turned towards her slightly with his arm resting on the top of the sofa and he nods his head in invitation.

"Oh that's okay-"

"You keep jumping," Sean cuts her off gently, his eyes boring into her. "Maybe being closer to someone else will help."

"I only jumped a few times," Sue lies.

"You've jumped ten times since the movie started." Damn, he was counting too. "Just come over here."

Sue sighs in defeat, knowing Sean will continue to persuade her and wear her down eventually and she's too tired to pretend she doesn't want the contact. She moves to sit with him and Sean smiles in triumph, putting a finger up before moving their water glasses to the end table and dragging the coffee table to meet the edge of the soda. Sean settles back into the sofa, resting his legs carefully on the glass top of the coffee table, holding him arm out to her again.

Sue moves slowly across the cushions, leaning in nearly immediately to Sean's body heat. Sue curls up against his side, trying to keep some space between them for her sanity. She rests her head on Sean's shoulder and rests her legs next to his on the coffee table.

She finally starts to relax but when Sean lowers his hand from the couch to her shoulder she jumps, sprawling further across his chest. Sue picks herself up in embarrassment but she's stopped from moving too far when Sean places his free hand just below his other hand that's already on her shoulder.

"It's only me," Sean says quietly, leading her back down to his chest. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"I know," Sue confesses, her forehead now touching his neck while her arm is now resting against his ribcage. Sean shifts too, moving one of his hands to rest on his thigh, the other moving to her waist.

Sue looks towards the TV and smiles slightly at the sight of their now tangled legs. She should feel bad about being this close to her brother's best friend but his faster-than-normal heartbeat is doing things to her insides that she doesn't want to go away just yet.

"Better?" Sean whispers in her ear.

"Much."

Sue jolts awake a few hours later with wide eyes as it takes her a minute to figure out where she is.

She is only a little surprised to find nearly her entire torso across Sean's chest with one of his hands high on her thigh and the other around her waist. She shifts slightly to separate them, her movements waking up Sean. He looks as confused for a moment before smiling at her sleepily and pulling her back against him.

"Go back to sleep," he mumbles into her hair that somehow had come out of her ponytail, her scrunchie nowhere to be found.

"But-"

"We're fine, we're in your apartment and no one is trying to murder us," Sean cuts her off, his voice deep with sleep.

"Actually I was going to say this is an uncomfortable position," Sue shifts, wincing at the tightness of her back.

"I'm too big to share the couch with you." Sean doesn't open his eyes. "Unless you want to spoon but even that would be tight."

"No let's, uh, let's go sleep in my bed," Sue says uncertainly. She's nervous; the only guys she's ever shared a bed with were Axl and Brick and she isn't sure she should be considering her brothers _guys_ in this scenario but Sean still doesn't open his eyes. "Sean?"

Sean cracks an eye to look at her. "We can sleep in your bed." Sue untangles herself from him, shivering with the loss of his body heat. He opens his other eye and she holds out her hand, which he takes as he too stands up.

Sean lets Sue lead him into her room, Sue silently thankful that a few days prior Axl had gotten angry with her and stolen all of her stuffed animals from her bed, save Woofy Dog, so Sean wouldn't see them.

* * *

They end up spooning anyway; Sue finds out a second after cracking open an eye the next morning to the early morning sunlight.

Sean is holding her flush against him, his head buried in her neck with their legs once again tangled. Sue isn't proud of it but she closes her eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of being nestled in Sean's broad arms. She allows herself only a few more minutes of his warmth before slowly and carefully sliding out from under his arms.

Sue makes her way into the kitchen, taking out a few pans as quietly as possible to not wake Sean. She starts to make breakfast as a thank you for him spending the night and as she turns to put the egg carton back in the fridge she nearly drops them in surprise.

Sean is leaning against the kitchen wall with his arms crossed, his eyes trained on her and an unreadable expression on his face.

"How long," Sue pauses, taking a deep breath to steady her heart rate with a hand to her chest," have you been standing there?"

"About two minutes after you left me in your bed cold and alone," he quips, causing the corners of her mouth to turn up.

"I wanted to make you breakfast," Sue bites her lip, his gaze unwavering but traveling to her mouth at the action. "As a thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," Sean pushes himself off the wall, taking the egg carton from her hands, "I would do anything for you Suzy Q."

"I know," Sue says, their eyes meeting while he puts the eggs away, "but that doesn't mean you don't deserve a thank you."

"I guess not," Sean relents, his eyes twinkling. "I guess it's also a good thing I like my bacon crispy."

Sue's eyes get comically wide as she moves hurriedly towards the stove and the smoking bacon resting in the pan. It's nearly burnt and she slumps her shoulders.

Sean comes to stand at the stove with her, picking up a spatula and moving the eggs around the pan just as they were starting to stick. Sue thanks him and removes all the bacon from the pan, letting Sean handle the eggs.

She sets the table for the two of them then makes both of them their shared favorite breakfast drink: chocolate milk. Sean puts the pan of eggs in front of their plates next to the plate of burnt bacon and the two eat in a comfortable silence.

"You know," Sean starts, "it was kind of nice watching a movie together."

"We watch movies all the time," Sue says obliviously. Sean chuckles.

"Yeah we do but we're not usually that close," Sean lays out for her exactly what he means and she laughs sheepishly.

"Right. That was really nice," Sue pauses, putting down her fork. "Really _really_ nice." Sue wishes she stopped there but she wouldn't be Sue if she did. "Like, the most comfortable and warm and safe I've ever felt nice."

"Are you still dating the delivery guy?" Sean asks, Sue's eyes snapping to his in surprise. He still has the unreadable expression on his face but now it's mixed with, is that, _hope_?

"We went on a few dates but it didn't work out," Sue admits, deciding to, in the words of Swedish supergroup ABBA, take a chance, "because I like someone else."

"You do?" Sean looks at her like he's trying to figure her out and a wide smile crosses her face.

"Yeah and he's totally worth it because he loves crispy bacon but _hates_ burnt bacon but will eat it just because I made it and he doesn't want me to feel bad." Sean returns her wide smile.

"Can I take you to dinner tonight?" Sean doesn't waste any time.

"Definitely."


	10. The Party

**The most recent guest comment got lucky, as I already had most of a story about Sean flirting with another girl at a party!**

 **But seriously, you guys are so nice to me in your comments thank you so much!**

* * *

"I'm gonna go," Sue tells Axl, his face twisting in annoyance.

Axl surprisingly had continued his sometimes-niceness over winter break during which he had brought her to some Orson parties with him, where they currently were on this cold January night.

The Heck siblings had come with Sean, who Sue had not seen since they got to the party at 8:30. Scratch that, she had seen him flirting with some blonde she didn't know but he had yet to look Sue's way.

Sean wasn't aware of this but Sue had broken up with her boyfriend Aidan two nights prior because she couldn't stop thinking about Sean. Sue didn't think it was fair for her to date one guy to get over another (no matter what Brad said) and two months in Sue had to put an end to it. She was going to be 21 next month; she needed to take a deep breath, pull up her big girl panties and be honest with Sean and tell him how she felt even if he didn't like her back.

Ironically, Sue invited Sean over to her parent's that night to tell him but within the first five minutes he was there Axl came out of his room and invited them both to the party.

 _This_ party, where Sean was ignoring her in favor of another girl. Sue was trying to look away but she couldn't stop staring at how Sean kept smiling at the blonde and _Jesus_ the girl would not stop _touching_ him.

She couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm not leaving yet it's 9:47," Axl's voice cuts into her thoughts.

"You don't have to come with me," Sue bounces on her feet anxiously, "I'll get an Uber."

Axl is silent for a moment, before he drags Sue by the elbow to a more secluded area away from his friends. "Is something wrong? If you need me to come with you I can."

"Nothing's wrong," Sue lies, telling herself she can cry on the way home. "I'm kind of getting a headache and so on and so forth and what have you." Axl shakes his head at her obvious lie.

"Sean will leave with you if you don't want to be alone," Axl offers, Sue biting her lip.

"He's busy I think." Axl gives her an odd look. Sue's eyes involuntarily flicker back to Sean, still talking to the same blonde who is now standing directly in front of him with both hands on his biceps. Axl doesn't miss where her eyes go and he blows a small raspberry.

"You'll text me when you get home?" Axl chooses to ignore that Sean is the reason she's leaving and she's oddly grateful; she doesn't think she'd be able to talk about it without crying.

Sue nods without replying as she gives him a sad smile and it's obvious that Axl is uncomfortable that she's upset. Sue can't help herself; she hugs him. She must have looked really upset because Axl hugs her back and she hears him sharply exhale. Sue pulls back and tries to give him a more genuine smile so he doesn't worry and he rolls his eyes good-naturedly, gesturing for her to leave.

Sue gives him a short wave before bouncing out of there; eager to lay in bed with Woofy Dog and forget this night ever happened.

* * *

Nearly 30 minutes later Sue is laying on her bed still fully dressed with Woofy Dog snug against her chest as she faces her ceiling wondering why she can't seem to get over Sean when she hears a knock on her window.

She sits up and moves to the window slowly and is surprised to see Sean there. She furiously wipes her eyes and face free of tears before opening the window and leaning out of it.

"What are you doing here?"

"Why did you leave- wait, are you crying?" Sean asks, placing his hands on the window frame and then pauses, seemingly annoyed with himself. "Can we talk?"

"I don't know Sean…" Sue trails off when Sean's eyes snap to hers and she can plainly see that he is upset too. "Alright, give me a minute."

Sue moves to climb out the window but Sean blocks her exit. "Don't climb out of the window, you might hurt yourself, use the front door."

"I know I haven't snuck out a lot but I don't think you're supposed to do it by walking out the front door," Sue gives Sean a look that says she thinks he's crazy.

Sean rubs his lips together in amusement. "It's 10:15 Suzy, I don't think you need to sneak out."

"Right," Sue mutters.

Sue turns on the spot, walking out of her room and past her parents on the couch who don't even glance her way as she leaves the house. She meets Sean on the driveway.

"What did you want to talk about?" Sue asks, rubbing her arms. She was so embarrassed by her failed attempt to sneak out at 20-years-old that she forgot to grab a coat. Sean instantly takes off his Notre Dame vest and hands it to her.

"Why did you leave the party?" Sean starts as Sue puts on his vest. "You left in such a hurry, you didn't even tell me that you were leaving, is everything okay?"

He made her come outside at 10:15pm in January without a coat because she left a party without saying goodbye to him? "I'm fine," she replies, annoyed.

"Yeah that's what Axl said but he was lying," Sean runs his eyes over her small form, "and so are you."

"I'm surprised you even noticed I left," Sue mutters, shivering as she places her hands in the pockets of Sean's vest.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sean asks before his eyes widen. "You didn't tell me you were leaving did you? That girl would _not_ leave me alone-"

"Oh yeah you looked really upset about it," Sue snorts. Sean looks at her for a moment before a full smile crosses his face.

"Were you," Sean takes a few steps towards her until he's directly in front of her, "were you jealous?"

"Psh what?" Sue says in a high-pitched voice. "Why would I be jealous if some supermodel-lookalike blonde girl is hitting on you nonstop for an hour?"

"You sound jealous," Sean places both hands on her biceps and rubs them gently to stop her shivering.

"I'm not jealous," Sue cries, narrowing her eyes at him. She hates herself but she's so cold she moves closer to him and he laughs under his breath before pulling her against his chest.

"Okay, you aren't jealous." Sean doesn't sound convinced. Sue sighs in contentment, finally warm against him. "I don't like her."

"I didn't ask if you liked her."

"Well maybe I want you to know I don't."

"Well now I know." Neither of them speak as they stand together huddled in the dark and cold winter night. "It kind of seemed like you _did_ like her though."

"I don't get you at all," Sean snaps, releasing her and taking a few steps back. Sue shivers again but this time it's because of his tone. "How can you be jealous of me talking to a girl for maybe an hour when I've made it clear for months now that _you_ , Suzy Q, are the girl I like and I had to watch you date a _delivery guy_ that you thought I set you up with for two months?"

Sue's mouth drops open at his admission. "Yo-you, you like me?"

"Don't insult me and pretend you don't know," Sean runs his fingers through his hair in frustration. "The reason you went out with the delivery guy and not a friend of mine is because I came to your apartment ten minutes later to be the guy I set you up with because I couldn't stand the thought of someone else taking you out. Didn't Lexie tell you I came to the apartment?"

"No she didn't," Sue says quietly, unable to stop staring at him.

"I told you we rescue each other and yeah I meant it but that's such an obvious line," Sean continues as if she didn't speak. "And then there were the times I came to East Indy to tell you how I felt about you last year like offering to take you to the Chancellor's Ball and the time Axl told me you had a boyfriend when you didn't-" Sean stops abruptly to exhale slowly and loudly. "Please just stop pretending you don't know, it's okay that you don't like me but-"

"I _do_ like you," Sue cuts him off, placing her hands on her hips. "I broke up with Aidan because I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Sean tilts his head, unsure if she believes her and she scoffs before continuing.

"My boyfriend dumped me on the way into the Chancellor's Ball because I wouldn't stop talking about you so I came back here _to Orson_ so we could go together but you had already left. I don't know why Axl told you I had a boyfriend when I didn't, especially when we sat together while you and Lexie were on your date eating ice cream because we hated it so much but Axl is always selfish it's not surprising."

Sue pauses, looking down at her feet. She misses the upturn of Sean's lips.

"I did think you were going to ask me out a few months ago but I was so nervous and afraid you were going to reject me that I nervously told you we should set each other up on dates but I only ever wanted to go out with you, I only like you it's _always_ been you and-umph!"

Sean's lips crashing onto hers cut off Sue. Sue gasps in surprise and Sean doesn't waste any time, deepening the kiss and pulling her flush against him. Sue stands on her toes, her arms around his neck as she tilts her head to give him better access. Sean's arms are wrapped fully around her back but before she knows it, he pulls away to rest his forehead on hers, both of them breathing heavily.

"You've always been it for me too," Sean admits with a small smile. "Will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend Sue Heck?"

"I would be honored to give you the honor Sean Donahue." They both grin and lean to kiss again when they hear a squeal. Sue jumps behind Sean as he turns to look around. "Who's there?"

"Do you think they heard me?" Sue nearly rolls her eyes at her mother's failed attempt at a whisper but wonders who she's talking to-

"You weren't exactly quiet." Brick, of course.

"Brick I don't think you understand, this is _Sean Donahue_ ," Sue shakes her head at her boyfriend who laughs under his breath and pulls her back against him.

"Did you forget I know Sean too?"

"This is big, dating a _Donahue_?" Frankie continues as if Brick hadn't spoken. Sean mouths 'where are they?' and Sue points to the open window of Axl's and Brick's room. Sean nods in understanding. "What if they get married? A doctor for a husband, can you imagine? And Sean is just the best, you know, I think your dad even likes him."

"Hey, maybe Mrs. Donahue invite us over for dinner all the time now." Frankie gasps as though she hadn't thought of that and Sue rolls her eyes at Sean.

Sean grins, shrugs, and leans down to connect their lips again, the pair kissing under the moonlight ignoring Frankie and Brick's continuing commentary.


	11. Double Date

**For the Guest who wanted Sean and Sue to go on a date.**

* * *

It was official: Sue was on the worst double date in the history of double dates.

Courtesy of one Brad Bottig, surprisingly.

Sue was, in Brad's words, throwing away the love of a lifetime by not pursuing Sean Donahue more aggressively. She had told him that she wasn't throwing Sean away when she wasn't sure if he liked her and tried to explain how complicated everything was because of her brother and their families being friends and even her and Sean being friends but Brad hadn't budged in his belief that she should ask him out and take a chance.

Sue had then taken a deep breath and reluctantly told him that while she had let rejection roll off her back and picked herself back up positively for nearly a decade she didn't think she'd ever recover from a rejection from Sean. Brad had been silent for a full minute, something he'd never done before, and then came up with the idea to set her up since, again in Brad's words, she deserved to be happy and after a straight week of relentless begging she agreed.

She really, _really_ wished she hadn't.

Sue sighed, putting her head in her hands, miserable on the date, no, the _double_ date that Brad had set her up on. Brad had been insistent that another couple being there would take the edge off and kill her nerves.

It probably would have worked in settling her nerves had the other couple not included Sean.

She had been surprised when she arrived at the restaurant to find out that Sean was part of the other date but the surprise instantly faded as she watched cough syrup addict Maddie from Brad's dorm take Sean's wallet when he wasn't looking.

She really should've known better.

To Brad's credit she wasn't nervous anymore but she was certainly pissed as she looked across the table at her date, a total jerk with black hair and a habit of chain smoking, who sat across from her making out with Maddie in his lap; the pair blissfully unaware of the other two occupants of the table.

Her green eyes flickered to Sean's own green ones. Sue sighed under her breath, walking around the table, coat in hand, to Sean in an attempt to not scream in the crowded restaurant.

"We're leaving right?" Sean asked as soon as she was in earshot. She snorted.

"Absolutely," Sue informed him, slyly reaching into Maddie's jacket and stealing back Sean's wallet. Sue wiggled it in the air in triumph as Sean made a face of disgust, clearly unaware that it had been taken in the first place.

A smirk crossed Sean's face and he placed a finger in front of his lips when Sue went to say something. He stood slowly, grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and led Sue out of the restaurant by her wrist.

"They can pay for our appetizer since they were lousy dates," Sean says, noticing immediately that Sue shivered. She had worn a dress she hadn't worn since her failed attempt to join a sorority, which unsurprisingly was not made for winters in Indiana. Sean took Sue's coat from her hands and held it out for her to step into. "Brad is really friends with those two?"

"They live in his dorm," Sue said diplomatically, not wanting to throw Brad under the bus for his obvious set-up of her and Sean just yet. She let Sean help her into her coat, trying not to smile when he brushed imaginary dirt off of her shoulders.

"Let's go eat," Sean threw on his own jacket quickly. "I'm starving."

"Me too," Sue agreed, feeling around in her pockets for her gloves but they were suspiciously empty making her groan. "Maddie."

"She took your gloves?" Sean made a face. "I didn't wear gloves tonight or I'd give you mine."

Sean gave her a smile that told her he was about to something so kind, so _Donahue_ her heart would skip and she wasn't wrong: he held out his hand and her heart stopped. "This will have to do, you aren't dressed for the cold."

"I'm dressed for a date," Sue replied dumbly, staring at his offered hand. "A _fancy_ date."

"Yeah, you do look beautiful tonight," Sean mused, making her smile. He tapped his fingers on her wrist, impatient with her hesitance. "You could've worn a scarf though. Or tights."

"Axl told me only girls who don't want to be kissed wear tights on dates," Sue wrinkled her nose. Sean laughed and intertwined their fingers, starting to walk and taking Sue with him.

"Suzy Suzy Suzy," Sean clicked his tongue in mock scolding, "I thought we stopped listening to Axl."

"Hutch agreed too," Sue admitted. Her brother had been so confident in his tight-wearing decree that he had called Hutch who had agreed instantly. Hutch had also tried to take back his agreement when he found out Axl was asking in regards to Sue, asking Axl why he wanted Sue to get kissed but Axl had hung up in lieu of answering.

"I wasn't aware of the tights equals no kissing rule," Sean teased, coming to a stop at an Italian restaurant that was three restaurants away from the crowded dive bar where their double date had been.

"Well now you know I'm ready to make out," Sue joked, immediately hating herself for how lame she sounded.

"Yeah but here's the thing: if you were my date I'd try to make out with you even if you were wearing tights," Sean shrugged, his gaze still on the restaurant. Sue's eyes widened slightly as Sean turned towards her and cocked his head towards the restaurant. "This place good for dinner?"

Sue nodded, letting Sean led her into the restaurant as she wondered what exactly just happened.

* * *

"Do you want a glass of wine?" Sean asked her after they placed their orders and were eating bread from the obligatory breadbasket.

"You know I can't," Sue stuck out her lower lip. "I'm not 21 yet."

"That doesn't matter," Sean dismissed that with a wave of his hand, raising that hand to signal to the waiter. "Follow my lead and be cool."

"What…" Sue trailed off as the waiter walked up and looked at Sean expectantly. Sean twisted his face into one of remorse.

"We have a little problem and I'm really hoping that you can help us out," Sean started with a slight grimace. "It's our one year anniversary tonight and my girlfriend asked me to grab her clutch on the way out the door but I was distracted because," Sean paused with a chuckle, giving the waiter a well-placed sheepish smile, "well, look at her." Sue blushed and shifted in her seat and the waiter smiled. "And I didn't grab her bag and now we can't toast because she doesn't have her ID."

The waiter cringed. "Sir I can't-"

"I know you probably can't do anything to help me redeem myself but we've had such a good year and," Sean paused again, this time to take Sue's hand, "my girlfriend is leaving to do a semester abroad in Germany tomorrow and we won't see each other for three months-"

"Germany?" The waiter cut in, looking at Sue suspiciously.

"Warum nicht Deutschland?" Sue narrowed her eyes.

"Why not Germany," the waiter repeated in English with a nod. He looked over both shoulders before leaning back towards the table. "I can't do it without an ID."

"How about mine?" Sean offered, using his freehand to take his wallet out of his coat. Sean held out his ID to the waiter, who leaned further into the table.

"If you're over 22, I'll give her a small glass of champagne." The waiter paused. "The smallest glass we have."

"Good thing I turned 23 two weeks ago, isn't it?" Sean grinned as the waiter grabbed Sean's ID and checked it before handing it back to Sean.

"The smallest glass we have," the waiter repeated, enunciating each word before turning and leaving the pair alone.

Sue released a breath loudly. "I can't believe that worked."

"Lower your voice," Sean instructed. "You haven't gotten the drink yet."

"Right," Sue bit her lip. "That was impressive though, the lying."

"I learned a few things over the years as Axl's wingman that really only work in dating and tricking people," Sean admitted with a shrug. "I rarely tap into these skills."

"Aren't I special?" Sue joked, tilting her head at him with a smile.

"You are special," Sean told her sincerely at the same time the waiter walked up with the glasses of champagne. Sue looked away in embarrassment.

The waiter placed the glasses in front of each of them and went to turn before he turned back towards the table to look at Sue. "Du bist nicht 21 bist du?"

"Nicht für einen weiteren Monat," Sue confessed that she wasn't 21 until next month to the waiter. Sean looked between the two quickly, not understanding what they were saying.

The waiter smirked and shrugged. "Dein Freund ist niedlich für das Versuchen."

"Ist er nicht?" Sue agreed with the waiter's assessment with a smile.

"Enjoy the champagne," the waiter smiled at them both before leaving.

"He didn't buy it," Sean stated with amusement.

"Nope, asked me if I was 21 and when I said not for another month he said you were cute for trying so I agreed and here we are," Sue said quickly, twirling the glass of champagne in her hand. "What should we toast to?"

"We should toast to us of course," Sean smiled at her, holding up his glass. "To us always being there for each other no matter what happens between us."

They clinked their glasses and both drank the contents instantly. Sue shifted forward in her seat when she put the glass down.

"Sean, what did you mean 'no matter what happens between us'-"

Sue was interrupted by their meals being brought to their table, the toast forgotten.

* * *

Sean walked Sue back to her apartment the same way he had brought her to the restaurant: by hand and entirely too close.

"You were a much better date than the dud Brad set me up with," Sue grinned before the smile instantly came off her face as she scrambled to correct herself. "I mean, you were a great, uh, great _companion_ yeah _companion_ after the night went south-"

"It felt like a date to me too," Sean cut her off, stopping in front of her apartment building, their hands still linked, "and since you _aren't_ leaving for Germany tomorrow, maybe I can take you out on another date?"

"You, uh, you," Sue sucked in a breath, "want to take me on a date?"

"Another date," Sean corrected.

" _Another_ date," Sue repeated, looking at Sean oddly. Sean shifted under the scrutiny of her gaze, misreading it.

"Unless you don't want to?" Sean said uncertainly.

"No I do!" Sue took a step closer to him. "I _really_ do I just didn't think you did, I mean, you're _Sean Donahue_ you're basically perfect and I'm just Sue-"

Sean cut her off by kissing her softly. Sean separated from her after a few seconds, resting his forehead on hers. "You aren't _just_ anyone." Sue smiled at him before standing on her toes to connect their lips again.

"Wait," Sue asked against Sean's lips a moment later before leaning back slightly, "do you think Brad planned this?"

"Definitely."

"You aren't mad?" Sue asked cautiously. Sean snorted, tightening his grip on her waist.

"Are you?"

"I liked those gloves Maddie stole but no," Sue answered honestly, snuggling closer to Sean, "I like you."

"I like you too," Sean grinned, leaning down to kiss her again.


End file.
